Tongva Park, Ken Genser Square Community Celebration Saturday

Posted Oct. 18, 2013, 8:37 am

Mirror Staff

The City of Santa Monica will celebrate the opening of its Civic Center Parks this Saturday. The parks encompass roughly seven ocean-view acres in Santa Monica’s Civic Center, stretching from the footsteps of City Hall to Ocean Avenue.

The two new centrally located parks include Tongva Park, a six-acre oasis located between Ocean Avenue and Main Street, and Ken Genser Square, a new public gathering space in front of City Hall.

Designed by James Corner Field Operations, the team behind New York’s celebrated High Line, Tongva Park was inspired by the Southern California arroyo landscape of washes and ravines that once defined the site.

The park features an abundant and ambitious planting scheme, contemplative walking paths, soothing water elements, and two viewing platforms offering majestic views of the Pacific Ocean.

The park also includes a delightful play area, picnic tables, and a performance lawn for community events.

The name, Tongva Park, honors the area’s original inhabitants. Completing the arroyo theme, the two parks are linked by mesmerizing water elements that start as a single runnel flowing west from City Hall and dramatically increase in presence and volume as you move closer toward the ocean.

The celebration from 11 am to 4 pm will feature music, crafts, storytelling, food trucks, and tours of the park’s diverse horticulture and innovative design elements. Tongva culture will be presented through traditional stories, songs, indigenous dances, and ceremonies.

The Masters of Ceremonies will be Chapman University Professor Paul Apodaca and KUSC host Rich Caparella.

At 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm there will be large scale performance installation from String Theory using invented instruments and sonic sculpture.

Throughout the day attendees can visit the “Snap Yourself Photo Booth” for a souvenir of the Tongva Park visit. Food trucks including King Kone, Mandoline Grill, Rounds Burger, Waffles de Liege & India Jones will have items for sale throughout the day.

The celebration is free and open to all.

Free parking will be available from 10 am to 5 pm at the Civic Center Parking Structure, located at 333 Civic Center Drive (corner of Olympic Drive and 4th Street) and the Civic Center Parking Lot, located at 1821 Main Street (just north of Pico Boulevard).

Free bike valet will be available on Main Street between Colorado Avenue and Olympic Drive. Visit www.bigbluebus.com for bus routes to Tongva Park.